Some absolutely lovely photos and explanations about Biosphere 2. ( )

This book is about Biosphere 2, a large laboratory built near Tuscon, Arizona to examine the ecosystems of Earth. The laboratory is huge, spanning over three acres and containing distinct ecosystems, including an ocean, a desert, and a rain forest. In the early 90s, eight people were locked inside B2 for two years to examine what it would be like for them to try to survive by growing their own food and composting all waste. The experiment was to see if the humans could adapt themselves to living within the confines of the ecosystem. The experiment was a failure in some ways, as the oxygen levels inside the biosphere became alarmingly low after 13 months, and the seal to B2 had to be broken to allow more oxygen in. As well, the people had trouble farming their own food effectively enough to sustain themselves as well as they had hoped. In other ways, the mission was a success. Lots of new knowledge was gained through the mission, and now the facility is used to conduct even more experiments on the Earth's ecosystems. I found the book intriguing and can see it being used as a study of climate change or engineering in schools.